[gcruse]

Around San Jose, and for the benefit of the Lick Observatory, the street lighting is down-directed,
amber, and just what you are describing. On a clear
night, I could see maybe twenty stars. Not much improvement, really, but the observatory seemed happy.
Here in Texas, the difference is notable. But if you
really want to see a night sky, drive through Blythe
or Needles, Arizona and get out of the car at one or
two in the morning. It'll make you dizzy.

[RightWhale]

With the low-pressure sodium lamps the observatory could at least do spectrographic analysis by filtering out the few lines from the lamps. It's still a lot of light. Better than before, but not great.

[united1000]

I know what you mean. I spent a week in Maui this summer, and every evening outside with a pair of binocs. I have never in my life see stars from horizon to horizon like that before, even as a kid. It was fantastic.